Hucknall care group is praised

Community news

The Carers in Hucknall group came in for glowing praise from a councillor at a meeting this week.

Coun John Wilkinson, a Hucknall Labour member of Notts County Council, said the group played an ‘absolutely vital’ role by supporting carers in the community.

He and the other two Hucknall Labour county councillors, Coun John Wilmott and Coun Alice Grice, presented £450 to the group from their individual budgets.

Jim Radburn, who runs the Carers, expressed thanks for the money and said it would help to boost the group’s funds.

The group has currently launched a high-profile fight for the Government to make a ruling which would legally reduce the time people have to wait to see a named GP.

Mr Radburn is spearheading the initiative after experiencing delays of up to four weeks to see his own doctor.

Hucknall’s Conservative MP, Mark Spencer, has taken up Mr Radburn’s request with Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb and a reply is still awaited.

Members also stressed at the meeting that carers had an awareness of their loved ones’ needs which professionals sometimes lacked.

For instance, there were cases of people who had suffered severe strokes being able to understand a person who talked to them, even though they might not be able to respond.

The group also claimed there was a greater need for awareness with regard to mental health. Compared with attention generally given to physical health conditions, people suffering from mental illness could feel very much on their own.

A Hucknall man who is a carer for his partner told the meeting they felt as if they came in this category.

Mr Radburn assured him that thanks to having become involved with the Carers, the couple need no longer think they were on their own.